With New Year’s Eve comes new year’s resolutions. Jupiter High students are not alone in making themselves promises in the new year, like more self care, but opinions differ on whether or not new year’s resolutions are actually beneficial.

Makena Mutchler, junior, juggles being in the Spirit of Jupiter marching band and taking all advanced-level classes on a day-to-day basis, and does not believe resolutions are useful.

“I’ve found when I try to force myself to make resolutions, it never works out.” Mutchler said. “My goal this year is to be a kinder person.”

Marina Jenkins, member of the M.A.R.S. Robotics team, made the new year’s resolution of having more “fun.” 

“High school is only a short part of your life…I feel I’m always caught up in life and I want to make lasting, happy memories that I’ll be able to look back on,” Jenkins said. 

New year’s resolutions can also be specific, like waking up 10 minutes earlier in the morning or exercising 15 minutes more each day. 

“In the new year, I’ve been working a lot on time management,” Ariel Lyden, junior, said. “I think being able to make time helps me create space for me to self care.”

As students navigate a new year, they also navigate new means of taking care of themselves.

“I go to the gym because it makes me feel as if I released a lot of stress from the week,” Lyden said. 

There are various ways in which students practice self care, but it’s contingent upon circumstances and personal preferences.

“I really enjoy reading, and I feel it’s an outlet to just step aside from the day to day,” Isabella Delahunty, senior, said. 

Another option is listening to music.

“Music helps me relax,” Lyden said. “ It’s a form of self care just because of how it changes your mood and I believe it helps your mentality.”

To find time for themselves, students plan out their day.  

“My planner is my best friend,” Mutchler said. “I plan all of my assignments and I plan when I’m going to take care of myself and spend time with friends.”

Nonetheless, the importance of self care is not overlooked.

“I think self care is really important. Spending time with yourself and focusing on yourself helps you be kinder to others and helps your schoolwork,” Mutchler said. “I think one of the most important things we can do is plan time for ourselves.”